Facilitating Effective Teacher Use of Technology

Nicole Long

Korea National University of Education

www.njlong.com

Abstract: This paper investigates the issues behind why technology is not being used as successfully by teachers as it potentially could be and suggests strategies to increase effectiveness. Contemporary data from education technology statistics provides a clear picture of what technologies are available and how they are being incorporated into educational pedagogy, while explorations into the four areas of; teacher-training, support structures, teacher perceptions and pedagogical needs reveal that this issue is extremely complex. A further examination of research on thriving technology implementation demonstrates that successful adaptations of technology must have a multi-pronged approach which includes practical hands-on training, a support structure, a change in teacher attitudes and well-designed technology. (Keywords: educational technology, teacher training, teacher perceptions of technology, technology and pedagogy)

Introduction

As technology has increased it’s presence in the world, the pressure to increase exposure within American classrooms has also risen. By the early 1990’s technophiles had begun touting the benefits of bringing technology into schools. They, along with policy makers, promised preparation for students entering a changing workforce and, later, comprehensive learning tools for students and useful support for teachers. However, twenty years has now passed since the beginning of this technological revolution and, for a small number of teachers, hardware such as handheld digital text books and software like serious games have sparked the imagination and conjured thoughts of educational marvels but, for a significant percentage of teachers, these would-be tools still seem like science fiction. The reality of the situation is that, although teachers have been given access to computers, teaching software, the internet and other forms of technology over the past two decades (Hayes, 2006), these technologies are not always used and when used, they are not always used effectively (Cuban, 2001).

Some research lays the blame for this at the feet of resisting teachers (Cuban, 2001) and some at lack of funding or technological inadequacies (Hayes, 2006) but it is actually a combination of several factors, all working together, which have lead to technology’s less than stellar performance in the classroom. This indicates that, rather than concentrating on one aspect of the issue, educators need to split their focus amongst several essential elements that all contribute to the complexity of the problem (figure 1).

Figure 1: Questions for Educators

To answer these questions about technology use in the schools, it is important to recognize that; teachers, their training, their support systems and their classroom needs are integral to understanding the realities of the struggle and to addressing them. Bringing all these elements together, this paper examines the issue of how technology can be more effectively utilized by teachers and examines the components of noted failures and triumphs to create guidelines for future successes.

Review of Relevant Literature

Technology has become part of our daily lives and society expects that schools will not only teach students how to use that technology but that schools will employ the technology to provide students with educational advantages (Noeth & Volkov, 2004). As there has been a slower success rate than expected in this area, researchers have attempted to find explanations by looking at everything from how teachers are educated to how much money has been spent on the technology.

There are several evident themes in the research of educational technology.

Technology innovations have outpaced technology training (NCES, 2000).

Support for technology integration is not sufficient (Moursand, 1999; Hayes, 2006).
Teacher attitudes toward technology strongly affect how it will be used (Ya, 2007).
Technology is not being used within a pedagogical framework (Noeth & Volkov, 2004).

Cuban (2001), one of the most strident detractors of technology in the schools, emphasizes that the core principles which shape teacher training are to blame for the slow integration of technology. He claims that, even if every child were given a laptop, the technology would still not be used efficiently and that teachers have used technology only to replace older tools rather than to innovate. Inadequate pre-service training, which leaves teachers feeling unprepared for utilizing the technology effectively, has been blamed in part for this (Moursand, 1999).

Another approach is taken by Hayes (2006) with the stance that budget concerns have hindered technology integration on every level including the purchasing of hardware, upgrading to new more compatible platforms and technical support. These shortfalls in budgets can be placed at the feet of under-aware superintendents who demonstrate very little understanding of the importance of creating space in the budget for technology (Davis, 2008).

The attitude of teachers is considered by many researchers to be a major concern. Teachers’ decisions to use technology are often based on ease-of-use, computer self-efficacy and perceived usefulness (Davis, 1993; Ya, 2007). Teachers who feel that they can control the technology and its’ effects on student outcomes are more likely to incorporate it into their curriculum (Ya, 2007) but only a very small percentage of teachers feel that they are in control (NCES, 2000).

The Current Conditions of Technology Use within the Educational Context

Before examining why technology is not being used as effectively as possible, it is important to establish exactly what technology is available and how it is being used. Is there, in fact, a consistency between availability and usage or is the technology accessible and not being used to its’ full potential?

The US Department of Education (2003) findings show that there is a 5:1 ratio of student-to-computer use and a 99% rate of internet connectivity in the schools. This is substantiated by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES, 2007) who found that schools have, on average, 154 instructional computers and 100% internet connectivity. The use of handheld computers for students had risen to 10% in 2003 and is continuing to grow (Office of Educational Technology, 2005). Furthermore, the introduction of computers-on-carts, which allow teachers to easily access computers, is also on the rise. These sources demonstrate that the technology is present and accessible within schools.

The technology may be available but it is not being exploited. Cuban, (2001) makes the assertion that only 20% of teachers say that technology has had any significant impact on their teaching practices. This was corroborated more recently by the New York Times which states that while over 80% of American students use computers in their classrooms there is still significant resistance by teachers to use the technology (Morris, 2005). Additionally, 67% of American teachers feel that they are not adequately prepared to use technology to teach their subject (Shuldman, 2004). Even with access to computers, software and the internet, teachers are not getting onboard, or online.

Another important distinction is how the technology is being utilized. A report headed by Bernie Greene (2000) for the NCES showed that only 50% of the teachers with computers in their classrooms used them for instructional purposes such as having their students do word processing, internet research and drilling (figure 2). 78% of public school teachers use computers or the Internet at school to create instructional materials, and 59% of teachers claimed to use computers or the Internet at school to assemble information for lesson planning. Administrative duties such as recording grades were carried out on the computers by 51% of the teachers and communication with students was relegated to a low 12%.

Figure 2 How Technology Is Being Used

These numbers demonstrate that teachers value the computer and internet for information gathering rather than for in-class use. What is most troubling is how little the technology was employed for student instruction. Teachers are not making use of technology within a pedagogical framework that engages their students.

Influences on the Integration of Technology

The factors involved in creating this discrepancy between available technology and technology use are complex and varied enough that no one element can be pointed to as the cause. It is necessary to consider how teachers are exposed to technology before and during their careers, what administrators and policy makers are doing in the schools, how teachers perceive the usefulness of technology in their classrooms and what role technology can adequately play within pedagogical boundaries.

The Role of Teacher Training

Research has shown that the benefits of technology in the classroom only take place after the teacher has significant skills in operating the equipment and then has sufficient understanding and practice incorporating it into lessons (Shuldman, 2004). This indicates that a considerable amount of ongoing tech education for teachers is required. Unfortunately, this is not occurring with only half of all teachers believing that they have received adequate preparation in college (Moursand, 1999; Greene, 2000). In fact, 93% of teachers have been forced to learn about technology independently. When professional development is available, the majority of teachers do take advantage of it but the average total of training days is only 4 per year which seems woefully lacking considering how rapidly new technology advances. To make matters worse, follow-up training is even less frequently available (Greene, 2000), so teachers can not update any previously gained expertise.

Even in cases where there is in-service training available it is not automatically a solution as teachers are often being exposed to technology in intensive seminars, away from realities of their classrooms (Glazer, Hannafin & Song, 2005). This lack of situational learning means that teachers can not see a direct functional application for what they have learned or that attempts to incorporate it into their learning strategies may not meet with success.

With the intense pressure placed upon schools and educators to utilize technology, it would seem to be an obvious priority but there has clearly been a breakdown between the demands of society and the supply of training.

Support for Teachers

For teachers to be able to make use of technology as a valuable teaching tool, they need tech savvy administrators who can arrange for the equipment, the facilities and the indispensable training. Equally important is having easily available technical staff that are prepared to assist teachers beforehand as well as during their classroom projects. Regrettably, this support is not always in place, leaving teachers with no guidance from above and no hands-on assistance.

One serious issue is that school superintendents are not sufficiently prepared to deal with their schools’ technological needs, with 96% not aware of national standards and 83% having no technology training in the past three years (Davis, 2008). Not only is this a terrible role model for teachers, it can hamper professional development opportunities, restrict technology budgets and limit access to essential equipment because the superintendents either can not organize them or can not see the value in them.

In a related matter, tech support is often not a priority for administration. In 2006, schools spent only 28% of the technology budget on tech support which included in-house equipment installations and updates, maintenance, consulting and out-sourcing (Hayes, 2006). This is compounded by the fact that schools pay lower salaries than the IT industry which makes it difficult to keep skilled technicians.

Up to this point, technology has been given a relatively low precedence by school leaders, leaving teachers in the unenviable position of having to fend for themselves.

Teacher Perceptions of Technology

Another severe obstacle to technology integration has been teachers’ attitudes, but it is a mistake to think that teachers are resisting technology in any sort of rebellious manner. Most teacher resistance can be linked to their educational background and training opportunities (Buzhardt & Heitzman-Powell, 2005).

Many older teachers were trained well before technology was considered a viable teaching tool, thus separating them from the digital natives (Prensky, 2001) that comprise students and teachers trained in the last decade. This is important because there is a direct link between teachers who have used technology in their own training and teachers who use technology for instructive purposes (Cradler, Freeman, & McNabb, 2002).

Additionally, teachers often decide whether to use technology based on ease-of-use and their own level of comfort, a serious dilemma considering that only 23% consider themselves to be well-prepared by their pre-service or in-service training (NCES, 2000; Assistive Technology Training Online Project, 2005). Another concern for teachers is how they perceive the effectiveness of the technology. If the practical applications are not made clear, it will likely be rejected by teachers (Davis, 1993; Zhao, Pugh, Sheldon & Byers, 2002).

This lack of educational preparedness needs to be recognized as a primary contributor to teachers’ reluctance to choose technological solutions in the class rather than simply blaming ‘backwards’ mentality.

Pedagogical Adaptations of Technology

For educational technology to truly reach its’ full potential, it should facilitate critical thinking and inspire student learning. Unfortunately, this is currently not the case. Only 50% of subject teachers are actually using computers in class (NCES, 2000). Even that 50% are not using it effectively as the most frequently employed software applications such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint can actually reduce student outcomes (Noeth & Volkov, 2004; Lei & Zhao, 2007).

Part of the problem is that students do not always respond positively to technology which can cause teachers to turn away from its’ use rather than to explore further options (Zemsky & Massy, 2004; Lei & Zhao, 2007). The ‘good’ technology is also often more unfamiliar or difficult to learn for the teacher which requires more effort to adapt it to current methodologies (Cradler, Freeman McNabb, 2002; Buzhardt & Heitzman-Powell, 2005).

Replacing blackboards and paper should only be the first goal, not the final goal of educational technology but clearly, innovation needs to be encouraged more thoroughly.

Guidelines for the Integration of New Technologies

Now that the most serious impediments to the integration of new technologies have been examined, a comprehensive plan to overcome them can be created. Although each of these obstacles are problems unto themselves, they are also connected and as each one is given attention, the others will be affected. Higher levels of understanding at an administrative level will lead to better budgets for technology purchasing and training. Better teacher-training will change perceptions of technology as well as how teachers use the technology. As each link is reinforced, the chain grows in strength.